


i'll do whatever it takes (to be the mistake you can't live without)

by Dariary_Absentee



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Anti-social Connor, Child Abuse, Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Depictions of injury, Good Parent Hank Anderson, Hurt/Comfort, Leo kind of highkey sucks more than usual in this, Love at First Sight, M/M, Markus (Detroit: Become Human) Whump, They're also Hank's kids, Yeah...Markus is not having a great time but he's trying to pretend like it's fine, no beta we die like men, warning somebody vomits at least once...sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:04:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24401002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dariary_Absentee/pseuds/Dariary_Absentee
Summary: Markus’s hoodie was soaked entirely with rain turning most of the gray fabric almost black.“Sorry…” Markus said. “I know it’s late, I just…you’re the only person I know that wouldn’t freak out.”--Markus gets into trouble after a run-in with Leo. When he can't turn to North, Simon or Josh, he goes to Connor. Connor barely knows him, but it's late and it's raining and everything about Markus seems off--even he can tell that. Obviously, he can't turn him away now.
Relationships: Connor/Markus (Detroit: Become Human)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 272





	i'll do whatever it takes (to be the mistake you can't live without)

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in one day. I don't know what it is, I just woke up and had a NEED. I didn't even read over this. This is just what you get. Hope you like it.
> 
> Notes from google doc:  
> Markus, age: 17  
> Connor, age: 16  
> Colin (60), age: 16  
> Nicholas (rk900), age: gremlin...idk like 12.  
> (if you're 12 please don't hurt me)

“One a.m.,” Colin said. 

Connor sighed. He placed an Uno card down atop the pile. “You’re already losing at Uno, do you really want to lose another bet too?” 

“Bold of you to assume he’s learned his lesson,” Nicholas said, clearly bored by the game. His arm was crooked atop the table with his head leaning on it, half smashing his face. 

It was getting late. 

If anything, one of them should remind him to start getting ready for bed. Even on a weekend it was late for Nicholas to still be awake. 

“When do you think he’ll be home then?” Colin asked. His chin raised in a challenge. 

Connor remained as placid as ever, it was all too late at night for Colin to try to get a raise out of him, especially over this. “Before midnight would be nice.” Connor looked at the clock on the microwave. It was already a quarter past 10. “But if I know better, which I do, two,” Connor said resolutely-- more resigned to their father’s semi-self-destructive habits than anything else. 

“I’m not playing this stupid card game until two a.m.,” Nicholas announced. He stood from the table. 

“Good,” Colin and Connor said in unison. 

“You’re getting cranky,” Connor said, smirking to himself. 

Their youngest brother flushed pink. “I--” Nicholas wasn’t one for getting particularly expressive, but it was easy to rile him up. The first one to run to Hank when something wasn’t fair, the last one to get into trouble. It must be the baby brother in him that makes him the most entitled. 

Nicholas’s face twitched imperceptibly, but his fists balled at his side. “Fine,” he said coolly. He picked up his Uno cards again and smacked down a  **Draw 4 .**

“Are you kidding me?” Colin erupted. “ _ He  _ said it. Why do  _ I  _ have to draw four?” 

That knowledge mattered as much to Nicholas as whether or not the Detroit Gears won the NBA final. “I’m going to my room, now,” he said, clearly feeling much better now that the playing field had been levelled. 

They watched him leave. 

“He’s such a brat,” Colin muttered, he threw his card down. “I’ve decided to watch T.V. instead.” 

Connor looked down at his three cards with a raised eyebrow, he smirked. He would’ve won anyway. “You do that, brother.”

That left Connor with the kitchen and cleaning up the Uno cards. Not surprising. Connor looked up at the clock on the microwave again and sighed. Recognized he was only sixteen and, in some way, had no right to lecture his adoptive father about sleeping hours or cholesterol, but Hank understood it came from a place of  _ deep  _ care for him. It was just...sometimes Connor couldn’t help wondering why he didn’t listen to him then.

_Didn’t he want to stick around?_

Connor scooped up the Uno cards and put them back in the box and put it in the box aptly labelled  _ Bored Games  _ by Hank years ago. Colin was sitting on the couch, Connor knew he wasn’t going anywhere any time soon, not because he was completely sucked in by re-runs of  _ American Ninja Warrior  _ but because Sumo was laying on his feet. 

Connor wasn’t necessarily proud that they’d had takeout four times this week but between archery practice and martial arts on top of his own tutor gig it’s been a busy week. Connor wrapped up the leftover pizza and recycled the boxes appropriately before moving on to the dishes. 

They had the wherewithal to have carrots and hummus with their pizza. Not the best mix, but a vegetable was necessary to say the least. 

The doorbell rang. 

Connor iced over reflexively. He can’t help it, his dad’s a police lieutenant. Suddenly, he realized the T.V. had gone silent. None of them can. 

_ No. _

Connor looked at the clock on the microwave, mind spiralling already. He wasn’t sure how his mind seemed to do that so quickly. The doorbell rang again, in the same short, almost polite buzz.

_ Hank’s not… _

Connor swallowed. “I’ve got it!” He called, voice shaking. 

He moved with numb feet and numb limbs, cold all over, toward the door. Even if he wanted to think he couldn’t. He was only vaguely aware of Colin watching from the couch, he wanted to turn to him and say something. 

He wanted to look over at his brother and say,  _ I’m sure it’s nothing _ , but he couldn't. All he could do was watch himself move toward the door. Connor grasped the door knob, and opened it. 

“ _ Markus _ ?” 

It was hard to tell, it was dark and he had his hood up but he knew the other boy just about anywhere anyway. 

All the panic in Connor’s body evaporated immediately turning into total confusion. They barely know each other after all. Well, that was hedging it a bit. Connor tutored him and they talked and laughed, but they were by no means friends, despite how often Markus insisted they were. 

Markus’s hoodie was soaked entirely with rain turning most of the gray fabric almost black. 

“Sorry…” Markus said. “I know it’s late,…you’re the only person I know that wouldn’t freak out.” 

Saying he was the only person that wouldn’t freak out made him want to freak out more.Connor looked back at Colin who was much more relaxed and watched him with rapt attention. A teasing, knowing smirk grew across his brother’s face. 

“I…” Connor started. He swallowed, his eyes went back to Markus, “Sure, I’ll come out.” He slipped his feet into the first pair of shoes he could find at the door which incidentally were Hank’s ratty Crocs he only wore to let Sumo out and grab the mail. 

Outside, Connor could hear just how hard it was raining. It occurred to him that maybe Markus would’ve liked to come inside and warm up, but it was too late now. 

Even under the porch light it was hard to see Markus’s face which might have been intentional. From what he knew about him Markus, didn’t like to hide from anyone or any _ thing  _ for that matter. 

When Connor took a curious step forward, bent slightly to look under the hood, Markus took a wide step back. 

“Don’t--” He said with a bite Connor wasn’t familiar with. He took a steadying breath. “Don’t do that, please.” Markus pressed one hand to his eye and hissed after he spoke. “I didn’t mean to snap at you.” 

He reminded him of a spooked animal, in all honesty, it was disturbing to see Markus like that. He was even shivering, also reminding Connor he should’ve let him inside. Connor took a step back and gave him some space. 

“Markus...are you alright?” 

“I...don’t know,” his answer came out as a question, as if he was hoping he would be able to  _ tell  _ him. 

Connor was taken aback by his answer, he has heard Markus answer questions all sorts of ways. He’s heard him tell the truth and he’s heard him lie to fake it, but he’s never said ‘I’m not sure’ before.

It seemed like Markus always knew. 

He never sounded or looked so small. Markus put his hand up to the same eye again, with another uncomfortable sound.

Connor decided he wasn’t alright at all then. His lips pressed into a thin line and he exhaled through his nose. He took in Markus, not for the first time. Sometimes it felt like he was always taking Markus in.

Always seeing him in the halls, smiling, laughing, talking amongst his friends. Out on the field after school, two tables away from him in English class. Markus shined like a beacon, calling attention to himself with barely any effort, and Connor often found he couldn’t look away. 

Even now. 

Markus leaned against a column holding up the porch roof with an arm wrapped around himself. It was hard to tell if it was an emotional thing or a physical thing. The fact that Markus wasn’t filling the silence indicated maybe both. 

“Are you hurt?” Connor asked, carefully. 

Markus’s head turned from him. He couldn’t see his expression. “...Yes.” 

“You should come in then.” It wasn’t even an invitation, let alone pure politeness, he felt as though he was almost ordering him to. Connor moved toward the door, when Markus didn’t he turned. “Are you coming?” 

“Yeah,” Markus said, slowly. At the very least from what Connor could tell, he sounded more like himself. “Thank you, for this...I know you didn’t have to--” 

“Markus it’s forty degrees outside, and it’s raining and you’re hurt, I wouldn’t leave you outside,” Connor said. Not necessarily perturbed but he really didn’t see any justification for turning him away. 

For someone reason Connor knew he was smiling under that hood. “Tin man, my ass,” Markus said. He watched him press off of the front column slowly as if the movement hurt, Connor grimaced. It was definitely a pain thing. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Connor wrapped his arm around Markus’s waist. He hissed in pain. 

“It’s okay,” he said before Connor could pull away. “I’m okay, it just stung. I’m okay,”  he repeated, and quickly changed topics. “You always say you’re like a tin man, I think we both know you’re more than that.”

“I think it would be in your best interest to sit down,” Connor said. He pulled him over the threshold and was immediately met with Colin’s quizzical , if not amused ,  face.“Dad said no one’s allowed over without asking him first,” he said smugly.

His younger twin was more emotive than him, of course, most people besides Nicholas were, but something about Colin’s little looks always raised Connor’s hackles. He flushed pink and turned away from him. 

“Dad also said get your knees off the couch,” Connor bit back. “Mind your business.” 

Markus huffed a laugh and winced. “Hi, Colin,” he said like Connor wasn’t carrying half his weight and he just came over to play Animal Crossing or something

He put him down slowly in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Connor realized he wasn't sure what else to do now, except ask questions because he was curious. He was  _ oh so  _ curious as to why Markus was hurt and what happened and why. 

He’s always been curious, he couldn’t help it. 

Except Markus probably didn’t want to answer them for now. Something more powerful than his own social ineptitude told him so. “You should take that off,” Connor said, instead. “It’s soaking and you’re shivering” 

“I know…” Markus’s hand was pressed to his eye again.

“But you’re hurt...in the face,” Connor took a well-educated leap. 

“I didn’t want to scare you,” Markus supplied. Connor filled up two water glasses just to keep him busy, his coin was in his and Colin’s bedroom. Markus grabbed the cup but didn’t lift it, he twisted it around on the table, seemingly fidgeting as well. 

“I’ve been sufficiently warned, I think.” 

Markus’s breath hitched when he sighed as if that hurt too. He went to take the hoodie off only to wince, this time fully grabbing his side and curling in on himself. Markus caught the pained yelp that nearly fully escaped him, and it died in a small whimper. “Nope,” he said to mostly himself. “ _ Hated  _ that.” The laugh that came out after was shaky at best, but he was clearly trying to appear normal even if he was almost as clearly on the edge of tears. 

Connor wasn’t sure who exactly he was making the effort for, but it was a valiant effort regardless. He wished he had his coin with him to fidget with, to think with. 

He should call Hank. 

He should get the First Aid kit. 

He should-- 

“So we’re just letting anyone in our house now?” Nicholas asked. “Who’s this?” 

“I’m Markus.”--“A classmate.”--They answered at the same time. 

Nicholas’s light blue eyes shifted between his eldest brother and the stranger seated at their kitchen table. Connor watched as a nearly imperceptible, but definitely mischievous smile creeped onto his face. 

“I see,” Nicholas said. He went to the fridge and grabbed a soda. 

“It’s too late for you to be having one of those and you know it.”

Nicholas ignored him. “You seem too preoccupied to stop me,” he said with his chin slightly raised. 

_ Brat.  _

He wanted to throw something at him. “Colin--” 

“You told me to mind my business,” he said, slouching back onto the couch. 

Once again, even under his hood, he could tell Markus was smiling. Connor sighed, exasperated. 

“Full house, huh?” Markus muttered. 

“Too full in my opinion,” Connor said under his breath. He turned around. “If you’re going to sit there and eavesdrop can you at least be useful? I need the blanket.” 

Colin pulled the knitted, dark green blanket from the couch and tossed it back Connor’s way. It landed on the floor, which he shouldn’t have been surprised that Colin wasn’t going to hand it to him like an actual human being, but it still made his jaw clench.

Connor stooped to pick it up and hand it to Markus, “here, if you can’t take that off, the least we can do is try to warm you up.” 

“Thanks.” Markus pulled the blanket around himself to the best of his ability. “Are you sure I can take the hood off? I don’t wanna scare you,” he said sheepishly. 

Markus was exceptionally attractive so Connor doubted any bruising to his face could scare him that much. He didn’t see any point in admitting any of that. He repeated his earlier statement.

“I think you’ve warned me enough,” Connor said. 

“I guess,” he muttered. 

Connor said he had been properly warned but it still felt like his stomach had dropped straight to the floor when Markus took his hood off. So much that small sound slipped through his lips. As if the hood had protected him from fully realizing it was  **_Markus._ **

This was Markus. 

Markus’s eyes were swollen. One was crusted slightly with blood. There was a small cut over his nose, but it didn’t look broken thankfully. His lip was also swollen along with a gash on his upper lip. 

“I’m a wreck aren’t I?” Markus said with a small huff of a laugh, but it sounded more pitiful than anything. 

“Markus…what…?” Connor whispered. His throat seemed too tight to say anything else. 

“Hey woah, Connor. It’s okay--” Markus reached out with his hand for his. “I got into a fight.”

But  _ none  _ of it was.

Connor reflexively pulled away. He hadn’t realized his knuckles were also bruised and bloodied. Markus looked down at them as soon as Connor did. 

“Oh,” he said absently.

Connor ignored his shock. “With who?” 

He’s always been an awful liar. Markus was too good, it seemed, to lie appropriately even when he clearly wanted to, and they both knew that.

Saving what could be Markus’s ego, he left out the fact that it didn’t look like it had been a fight and more like a beating. But Connor didn’t know that, whoever the other person was, maybe they were worse off. 

“He...he’s gone now, so it doesn’t matter,” Markus lied. 

“If you’ve looked at your reflection I could assure you it matters,” Connor said matter of factly. 

Markus tried to smile. “I haven’t yet, actually.” Connor stiffened. Maybe he shouldn’t then. “Look, Connor, I--” he sighed, whatever he was going to say died on his lips. “He’s gone,” Markus repeated. He was convincing himself more than Connor. 

Colin was standing in the entry to the kitchen, notably staring at Markus’, quite frankly , pummeled face. His eyes widened. “Connor,” his head tilted towards him but his eyes stayed on Markus. “What the hell…” 

“It’s nothing,” Connor and Markus answered. 

Connor wasn’t sure what had come over him but he had the intense urge to lift Markus again and bring him somewhere else...somewhere away from everyone else. He wanted to  _ find  _ who did it. 

“It clearly isn't _nothing,_ Connor,” Colin said. “He looks like he got into an MMA fight and got his ass kicked."

“It’s not  _ that  _ bad,” Markus countered.

Colin’s face contorted into bewilderment. “ _ Yes,  _ it is,” he said resolutely. 

Markus tried to hide his flinch. He parsed the information with the best unbothered smile he could muster. Connor went to the fridge and grabbed the first bag of cold vegetables he could find and handed it to Markus. Markus pressed it to his mottled face. 

“There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom, we should go there instead.” 

“Okay,” Markus said, resigned. 

He lifted himself up this time, slowly, and it took all of Connor’s self-restraint not to walk alongside him like scaffolding. 

“I’m realizing how selfish it was to come here,” Markus said, with that same little pathetic laugh. “I’m really sorry, Connor.” 

“Don’t be.” 

“I should be,” Markus countered anyway. “It’s just...if I went to North’s house looking like this, or Simon’s or Josh’s…” he trailed off again. “It wouldn’t be good, I don’t know what would happen but it wouldn’t be good.” 

Connor noted that Markus left his own home out of that. 

He also noted that after his three best friends, Markus had incidentally thought of him next. Maybe Markus had thought of where to go and who would be best, but that seemed less likely. What seemed more likely was that, in a panic, Connor had come to him first. 

Markus thought of him first. 

“I understand,” Connor lied. He flicked the bathroom light on as Markus took a seat atop the toilet. His hoodie seemed to be drying nicely, but he kept the blanket wrapped around him anyway.

Connor made sure to clothes the bathroom door behind him before digging around for the First Aid kit. 

They had several between three boys and Hank’s occupation. Connor picked and chose from all of them until he had gloves and everything else he would need. 

Markus kept his head tilted down. “Probably not a good sign that the light’s making me nauseous.” 

“No,” Connor hummed. “No, it’s not.”

“Great.” 

Connor vanished to grab the desk chair from his room and set it down in front of Markus. He looked...it was odd for Connor to think that Markus looked better, or at least happier, but it was nothing compared to usual beaming light that seeped through his skin. 

But it was something. 

He began clearing the dried blood from his face.

Connor knew more about Markus’s home life than Markus knew about his. His father is an artist and wheelchair-bound, Markus admires him and loves him deeply. They have a caretaker for which it seemed Markus had a good relationship with too. He considers him like a second father.

But things could’ve gone sour. 

Markus chuckled softly, pulling Connor from his thoughts. “I know you’re thinking face. What are you thinking about?” His tone was soft and teasing. 

“Who you got into a fight with,” Connor answered honestly, even if it caused the smile to slip from his face. 

“Connor--” 

“I’m not going to drop it easily,” he said sternly. They were alone, and for all intents and purposes, Connor had him pinned. Markus could not easily leave his seat even if he wanted to. “You got into a fight with someone in your home,” Connor stated, like it was fact, because it nearly was. 

Markus just had to say it. 

“But it’s just you, Carl, and his caretaker,” Connor said. “Did he--” 

“ _ What? _ ” Markus’s eyes went wide. He hissed and pressed his hand to his eye, the one crusted with blood. “No,” he said quietly. “No, it wasn’t Holden.” Markus’s face nearly crumbled. 

Connor lifted it, pressing the same cloth to Markus’s tears. 

He laughed wetly. “Told you you’re not a tin man.” 

“That’s beside the point,” Connor said, but he was smiling faintly. "You're not going to distract me with a compliment Markus, what happened?"

He pulled away slightly and turned to look at the tub and shower to their left. “I--I have, my dad has another son,” Markus muttered. “My brother...technically”

_ Oh. _

Connor rinsed the cloth out in the sink. 

He moved on to cleaning the cut on his nose with antiseptic. His fingers pressed gently into the soft skin of his face and the growing stubble.

“He doesn’t live with us, he never did. But he used to come over sometimes,” Markus said. “He’s six years older than me, so we never talked much even when we were little. But he always hated me. I guess because I got dad full time, all the time. He wanted me first, and Leo…came after,” He turned away and Connor let him. “I wish hate wasn’t the right word, but it is,” Markus said in that same resigned tone. His eyes went cold. “The older I got the worse he was,” he explained. “And I could handle it, and I never told anyone because he never...it never hurt.” 

Markus’s brow creased. Connor pulled away in case he began to cry. His hand was limp between them. Connor grabbed it, holding Markus’s hand in his for a moment. 

“I’m sorry,” Connor said. He wasn’t very good at this. 

“Thank you,” he whispered. It sounded like he meant it, but Connor could never be sure, Markus always seemed so sincere. 

He went to task on bandaging up Markus’s knuckles, more so as an excuse to keep holding his hand . It was hard and calloused, but comforting. His hands were impossibly warm even after all the rain.

“Leo’s not going to hurt me with mean words and a few pushes,” Markus said determined. Blazing bright like Connor knew he could at times. “... But then he got addicted to red ice.” 

Connor paused wrapping Markus’s hand, the pause was imperceptible to anyone but himself. He continued. 

“And now he’s just... _ insane _ .” 

Insane was not the word for it. 

Criminal would be a more apt word. 

Connor realized at this point he could switch to the other hand, but he didn’t. Markus was perfectly at peace with his hand in Connor’s and he didn’t want to disturb that. He didn’t want to break whatever spell was placed over him. 

“I didn’t mean to run away. I shouldn’t have... I know they're probably freaking out, worried about me ,” Markus’s head dipped. He shook it, slowly, carefully. Connor’s thumb stroked over the cloth of Markus’s bandaged hand in an act of kindness that even startled him a little. Markus barely noticed, almost like he was expecting it. Like he fully believed Connor was capable of it. “I caught him trying to steal dad’s paintings and I tried to stop him. I-I did at first,” Markus blinked. “But he…there was a pipe--in the studio and he just...he wouldn’t stop.” 

Connor iced over. 

The words came out immediately. “If you didn’t run he could’ve killed you.” 

“He only hit me with it twice before Holden pulled him away,” Markus said in a painfully dull voice. His eyes were far away.

He said it like twice wasn't enough to warrant concern. 

Connor didn’t know what to say, only, “I’m glad he was there. I’m glad you got away.” 

Markus didn’t seem to take solace in it but he smiled a little anyway, it seemed more like he was smiling at Connor’s efforts.

They didn’t speak for several minutes. The silence was comfortable as they were lost in their own worlds. 

“You’re good at this,” Markus said. He stretched his hand in his. 

He shrugged. “I’ve had practice.” 

“Right…” he muttered. “Martial arts practice.” 

“Among other things, yes.”

Markus raised an eyebrow but kept his questions to himself, “I’m not forgetting that.”

“With the concussion you most likely have, you might,” Connor said lightly. 

“It’s not a concussion until I vomit on your floor,” he answered honestly.

Connor’s response was to move the trash can by the sink to directly in front of him.  Markus laughed, he had to hold onto his injured side. 

"Please don't make me laugh anymore, it hurts," he said, still chuckling a little.

Connor tried to stop his own. "I promise I'm not trying to." 

He made quick work of his other hand and moved back to his face. The more time he spent here he seemed to be coming around a little. He was obviously in pain, but it was obviously Markus. 

He was more himself and less the skittish animal Connor answered the door to. “Your eye,” Connor started. It was the eye Markus often pressed his hand to; the  _ fake  _ one, for a lack of a better word. 

Markus touched his face directly under it and winced. “I don’t know what to do about it.” 

“I don’t know if there’s anything we can do about it.” 

“I don’t know why the hell he had to punch me in the face,” Markus groused. “ _ In the eye,  _ I’ve had enough eye trauma to last me a lifetime.” 

Connor wasn’t sure if it was disconcerting or not that he was making light of what had obviously been a domestic abuse situation. Even if it was just for either of their sakes. 

“I think you should go to the doctor’s as soon as possible,” he advised. 

Markus frowned. He hadn’t thought of it yet, clearly. “I guess I should...when I go back.” 

“You can stay the night,” Connor said immediately. Before he could stop himself. It came out too quick to clamp down on. “You should stay the night, if you want to. Tell Carl you’re safe at a--at my house. You can go back tomorrow morning.” 

Markus’s mouth circled. His brows furrowed, “Connor, no, that’s--” 

“I think it’s what’s best for you,” he cut him off. “And…” he swallowed and chose his next words very carefully, “I would prefer it to any alternative.” 

His face softened from shock to a near understanding. Connor’s heart raced. “Okay,” he whispered. Markus’s face shifted again, Connor’s seen Hank drunk and gross enough times to roll his chair away from the boy before he heaved into the trashcan between them. It left him shaking all over again, back muscles tense as he retched again until he dry heaved nothing.

Connor knew very little of Markus’s friends but he figured it was better he was here to see this than them. Even if it felt no less disturbing for him than it possibly would for them. 

“Pretty sure I have a concussion,” Markus said shakily. 

Talking was a good sign.

“I would agree,” Connor said, watching him warily. “I think you should lay down.” 

“I think I should go to sleep or isn’t that bad for concussions?” 

Connor rolled the desk chair closer and stood. He wasn’t sure who was going to clean that up, probably him, but he didn’t want to think about it right now. “That’s a myth actually.” 

“Really?” 

“Sort of...you should be okay,” Connor pulled Markus up until he was standing with him. “You can sleep. I’ll watch you to make sure you’re okay.” 

“Oh,” Markus grinned. “You’re going to watch me sleep,  _ Connor _ ?” 

“To make sure you don’t have a seizure,  _ Markus. _ ” 

Markus kept grinning, anyway. 

Connor opened his and Colin’s bedroom door. Colin was sitting on his bed with his gaming device. “What are you doing?” 

“He’s staying the night,” Connor huffed. 

“Sorry, I don’t think he’d let me leave if I wanted to,” Markus said. 

Which implied he didn’t want to. Connor turned away from before he could see the color rise on his cheeks.

“No,” Colin said seriously. 

“Yes,” Connor  answered, meeting his brother’s defiance with exhaustion.  “Either sleep on the couch with Sumo or shut up.”

Colin glared at him and Connor glared back. 

“Guys,” Markus said uneasily. Maybe seeing brothers argue wasn’t the best for him right now. “It’s fine I can sleep on the couch, I’ve really overstayed my welcome and--” 

“No,” Connor talked over him. “It’s fine.” 

“Yeah, we’re fine _ , _ ” Colin huffed. He grabbed his pillows and the comforter from his bed. “I’m taking this.” He waved the game console in his hands as he left. 

“Fine,” Connor said evenly. Unbothered.

Markus’s eyes, well  _ eye,  _ given the damage, shifted between Connor and the place where his brother once was. “I didn’t know he didn’t like you that much,” he muttered. 

“It’s not you,” Connor sat down beside him. “Colin hates things simply because he can hate them.” 

“A rebel without a cause,” Markus said fondly. 

“I suppose,” Connor said less fondly. He stood and walked around him to readjust the pillows on his bed so that they could prop him up slightly. He read it’s best to prop someone up if there’s a possibility they’ve broken a rib. 

“I wonder if this is what Carl feels like,” Markus mumbled to himself. 

“I doubt it,” Connor said in a light tone. He let Markus lay back.  A sigh slipped through  his lips. Connor relaxed at the sound, it was a clear sign he was doing a good job. “Comfortable?” 

“Yeah,actually” he yawned. “I’m warning you now, I know what you like Anderson, I’ll get you back for this.” 

He smirked. “I’d like to see you try, Manfred.” 

Markus’s eyes sparkled. The life in them was reassuring, Connor told himself, even if it had actually caused his whole stomach to swoop. “You’re gonna wish you didn’t say that.” 

Connor vanished back into the bathroom to grab the discarded blanket. He grimaced at the bucket of vomit, he still wasn’t ready to handle that...not yet. He grabbed some painkiller and went back into the kitchen to grab some crackers and water.

“Dad’s not going to like you having your boyfriend over.” 

Connor’s fist clenched around the water cup. “He’s _ not _ my boyfriend.” He huffed at having been caught in that. “And Hank will understand.” But that was clearly an afterthought.

“I hope I don’t look as stupid as you do making googly eyes at Markus Manfred,” Colin said from the couch. 

“What are you? Five? I’m not making googly eyes,” Connor snapped at him. “And even if I was, in your stupid hypothetical situation, you  _ would  _ make the same stupid expression because _ we have the same face _ .” 

Colin was silent on the couch. 

“Whatever...just do what you have to do, I guess.” That was as close to an apology he was going to get from him. 

Connor started to walk away. 

“His brother sounds like an abhorrent piece of shit,” Colin said. “Dumpster juice. I hope dad arrests him.”

He stopped. Connor swallowed, throat clicking. “Me...me too,” Connor admitted quietly. He hurried back to the room with all of his supplies. 

Connor set them down on the bedside table. “Water. Crackers. Pain medicine.” 

Markus looked up at him drowsily from his phone. He must’ve texted Carl. He slipped it back into his hoodie pouch. “ _ You want me to eat right now _ ?” He asked incredulously. 

“I do,” Connor said with an innocent smile. “At least five of them.”

Markus turned lazily to look at the crackers and grabbed them with debilitatingly poor coordination. Connor wasn’t sure if that was from exhaustion or if he should be concerned for the future.

“I’m going to stay up--” 

“For how long?” Markus asked, talking with his mouthful. 

“As long as I see fit--” 

“Connor--” 

“Eat, Markus,” Connor admonished. “Tomorrow is Sunday, I’ll sleep in if I have to.” That was a lie but he didn’t need to know that.

“Tomorrow is Monday, it’s already Sunday,” Markus said smartly. 

Connor looked at the clock on his desk. His lips pursed, it’s a quarter past midnight. “Eat your crackers.” 

Markus laughed a little, followed by the crunch of more crackers. Connor’s seen his lunch, he wasn’t surprised Markus’s protests didn’t last long. He ate a few more and then took the pain pills. 

He sat down at his desk and turned the lamp away from Markus before turning it on. 

“What’re you working on?” 

“I’m reading,” Connor answered. 

“Reading what?” 

“My chemistry textbook.”

He was prepared for the usual  _ you never take a break, do you?  _ That he gets from most people. He’s used it. If anything it was a sign that he has a reputation as a hard worker, which was a  _ good thing. _

He could hear Markus rustling around on his bed. A weird new reality to have. “I get if it bothers your focus, and I don’t want to ask another thing but…” 

Connor turned back in his chair to look at him, dark brown eyes expectant. In the low light of his lamp, Markus’s eyes were luminescent. “Yes?” Connor asked much quieter than he intended to. His voice quivered. 

“Can you read...out loud,” Markus said, just as quiet and slow as Connor had spoken. 

“I could,” Connor answered. He swallowed. “I could sit with you too?” He asked hesitantly. 

Markus nodded, scooting more towards the wall so Connor had room. Connor shifted the lamplight a little to provide more light in that direction. He was careful sitting with Markus, but it was nearly unintentional, he would’ve been this way if Markus wasn’t so hurt. 

Even when tutoring him they’ve never been this close. 

Connor’s heart was racing again. Markus smelled like the rain outside and paint and soap. He liked it. He hated, however, that he _ hoped  _ his bed still smelled like him after this. 

They were hip to hip, Markus had his arm behind Connor somewhere and his head rested on Connor’s shoulder. It felt like cuddling and neither of them commented on how intoxicating it was to be so close to each other. Blood pumped loud and fast through their veins at the electrifying feeling of legs and feet touching. 

“Comfortable?” He winced at the way his voice squeaked. Markus hummed contently, he practically purred like a cat. He could feel the vibration of it throughout almost his entire body. Connor coughed. “Okay.”

_ Just read. _

_ Read! _

Connor cleared his throat again. “As the name suggests, this type of intermolecular force exists between an ion and a dipole molecule. You will remember that an ion is a charged atom, and this will be attracted to one of the charged ends of the polar molecule. A positive ion will be attracted to the negative pole of the polar molecule, while a negative ion…”

💙💙💙

Connor usually woke up when Hank came home and usually he went back to sleep after he could verify those were his father’s footsteps. Except most nights he doesn’t have an injured classmate in his bed.

Connor inhaled sharply. He scrubbed his eyes and looked at his clock 

12:45 a.m. 

That was earlier than they’d expected. 

He’d only been asleep for about twenty minutes. Markus was next to him, sleeping rather uncomfortably but asleep nonetheless. 

“Shit…” Connor hissed under his breath. 

Markus groaned in his sleep uncomfortably. “Shit…” Connor lept from the bed silently and turned his desk light off. Colin sleeping on the couch was slightly odd but not unheard of, even him being awake at this hour wasn’t that odd, but he didn’t want to give Hank any reason to come check on him. 

“Connor?” Markus asked drowsily. 

Connor shushed him. 

“What?” Markus asked, louder. 

_ Oh my God. _ ****

“Shut up,” Connor whispered.

He couldn’t really blame him though, if Markus wasn’t drowsy from pain medicine he was certainly concussed and exhausted. 

Connor could hear voices more particularly Colin and his dad’s. 

_ That  _ **_rat._ **

Connor fumed silently in the dark. Markus must have gotten the message because he was quiet.

“I’m telling you dad, it’s disgusting,” Colin said, talking fast. “He threw up in the bathroom and everywhere else it’s best to just let Connor sleep it off.” 

“Oh really,” if anything Hank sounded amused. Meaning he didn’t believe Colin who was, unbelievably, covering for him. It clearly wasn’t going to work though as heavy footsteps approached. 

“Guess I should go check on him, you know? Make sure he didn’t choke in his sleep.” 

“No!” Colin said. He stammered, "he’d probably get very embarrassed. You know how he is.” 

In the darkness, Connor didn’t know where to sit or how to be. Certainly not practically laying under Markus again. Connor hopped onto Colin’s bed. He sat with his knees tucked under his chest. Perhaps, somehow, Hank would think Markus was Connor and he was just a pillow left on Colin’s bed. 

The door cracked open slowly. 

“Con?” Hank asked, surprisingly gentle. Like he was considering the possibility that his son had actually spent the afternoon vomiting up his guts. 

Connor made himself as compact as possible as Hank stepped into the room. “I’m flicking the light on, Con,” he warned. 

**_Shit._ **

As soon as he did Markus groaned lowly. He couldn’t help it. Hank’s eyes went to him first then to Connor curled up into a ball on Colin’s bed. 

“Okay...what the fuck,” Hank’s face screwed up somewhere between clear confusion that would quickly turn to exasperated rage and worst of all disappointment. 

“I tried,” Colin said holding his hands up in surrender. 

Nicholas peeked his head in from behind Colin.

Connor glared at them as he untucked himself. 

“In vain,” Hank groused. “Your little brother snitched hours ago.” 

Connor could feel himself fuming, turning red as he set his eyes on his regrettable young brother. The worst little brat he’d ever seen. “You did  _ what!”  _

“Dad said no strangers,” he repeated coolly. He looked proud of himself which only made it  _ worse.  _

Connor bit down on his lip hard to keep from screaming at him and at any rate he didn’t really have to. 

“I don’t know why you’re so smug.  _ You  _ should be asleep, I don’t wanna see outside your room until 8 a.m. tomorrow you got me,” Hank said sternly. There was a clear punishment to be followed up by that if he didn’t. 

The proud grin slipped from Nicholas’s face. “He broke the rules first,” Nicholas said with a notable pout, as close to truly upset as he gets without fully bursting into tears.

“And you’ve broken, like, four. Good night Nicholas,” Hank dismissed him. 

God, Connor only wanted to strangle him. 

Nicholas’s face turned placid, another upset face. He marched himself back to his bedroom and shut the door a little louder than necessary. His version of slamming it. 

Hank sighed, rubbing his temples. 

“Now…” he turned to Connor. He felt a little bad, he had a full day of work and had to return to...to _ this.  _ “What the hell is going on?”

Connor looked away from his dad to Markus, who, if he was being honest, looked worse. He was paler and his one hand was fisting the sheets. The other was thrown over his face, maybe in an attempt to hide his bruises or shield his eye from the light. 

“Connor let him in, they’re--” 

“Colin, when I walked in I saw dishes in the sink, you’re going to turn right around and go do them.”

“But--” 

“If you wanna keep that game console this weekend, you’re not going to argue with me,” Hank said in a low tone. “ _ Trust me.  _ Today’s been long enough already.”

Colin’s mouth clamped shut. 

“Fine,” he huffed. He turned on his heels and stomped off. 

“Without the attitude would be great!” Hank called after him. 

Markus groaned quietly, but not quietly enough that it didn’t get either of their attention. “I’m starting to feel like a broken record here, but what--” 

“Is going on?” Connor finished. 

“Yeah, obviously,” Hank’s eyes flickered to Connor than back to Markus. His jaw shifted as if he was thinking and then he was slowly approaching Markus. “Kid--” 

“He’s hurt,” Connor said. He wasn’t sure why he couldn’t force out more, but it felt like there was a large stone in the back of his throat. His fists curled at his sides again. “Dad, he...I…” Connor shuddered. He tried to speak. He couldn’t. 

Hank decided against getting closer to Markus and instead grabbed the desk chair he had been sitting in and sat down in it with the back of the chair facing Connor. His hands rested on the top of the back. 

“Okay, so who is he?” 

“A....” Connor looked at Markus again. “A friend.” 

Hank made a face. “Does your friend’s parents know he’s here?”

Connor nodded. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of him. He wasn’t sure why he was so worried, but he was...he was scared Hank would send him back before he’s ready. He was scared that Markus was more than hurt. He was scared that Leo would come back and hurt him again. He was scared because Markus looked small again. 

“Hey...hey…,” Hank was standing. “Con, what’s going on. You have to tell me what’s going on so I can help you.” Hank’s gruff hand was curled around Connor’s arm, not threateningly just to steady him. 

Connor hadn’t realized he was crying. He inhaled, shuddering. 

“He’s really hurt.” Connor whimpered. He tried to form the right words. “Dad,” he sounded like he was pleading he wasn’t sure for what or why, nothing had happened yet. 

Markus sat up slowly. He looked dazed and the bruises that were just purple shadows earlier were beginning to bloom. 

Hank took a small step back. “Jesus.” 

“I shouldn’t have put this on you,” Markus rocked slightly like he was going to try to stand. 

“Yeah kid, let’s not do that,” Hank only left Connor’s side to prevent him from doing exactly that. “Easy...easy,” Connor watched his dad lay Markus back on the bed of pillows. “You’re okay.” 

“I’m okay,” Markus repeated. “I am,” he insisted. He tried to sit up again.

“Okay, not what I meant, kid. Just stay down,” Hank kept his hand on his shoulder in case he was going to try to get up again.

“Can you tell me your name?” 

“Markus,” Markus repeated with no trouble, just slurred and tired. 

“Last name?” 

“Manfred.” 

“Do you know where you are?” Hank asked him. 

Markus paused. It was hard to see exactly where he was looking but Connor knew he was looking at him. “With...with Connor,” he said. “Connor’s house.” 

“Do you remember how you got here?” 

“I ran,” Markus answered honestly. He looked confused for a moment. “Holden grabbed him and I ran...I ran away from him.” 

Hank sat back seemingly somewhat appeased with Markus’s answers. “Jesus,” Hank grabbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Jesus,” he repeated. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to send Colin in here to keep an eye on Markus and you and I are going to talk outside.” 

“Dad--”

“No,” Hank laughed, but in the way where he wasn’t laughing because something was funny. “That’s not up for discussion, no goddamn way.” Which was the equivalent of one of Hank’s hearty ‘no fucking way’s but censored slightly for everyone’s ears. 

Connor nodded. He stood and grabbed a jacket from his closet. He was purposeful in doing so, making sure not to look down at Markus once. Connor shrugged his jacket on and slipped on a pair of shoes. 

Connor went with Hank to tell Colin to watch Markus. 

“He does anything weird you tell me immediately, understand?” Hank had said to him, but Connor wasn’t really listening. He was thinking about what Markus said, about Leo, about the pipe. 

About what he was going to say to his dad. His dad, who is a police lieutenant, a  _ mandatory  _ reporter. 

Connor swallowed. He felt like he was going to vomit. But it wasn’t like it was Carl or even Holden, it was Leo...who doesn’t live with them...who comes by rarely. 

Who could come by again…

Colin went by them and Connor barely noticed. Sumo, who was surprisingly awake and seemed more than interested in going outside if not to just smell the rain. He liked the smell of it. Connor was grateful. 

Hank went out onto the porch after Connor. Sumo went afterward and did exactly what they both knew he was going to. The large dog found a good spot and laid down to watch the traffic and be outside

Hank leaned against the railing with his arms crossed in thought. 

“I didn’t know you were that close with anyone at school,” Hank said. He scoffed. “Guess that shows how much I know.” 

“I wasn’t,” Connor said quickly. He wasn’t ready to answer any questions but it seemed it was too late to try to stop them. “I’m not...currently either. I tutor him sometimes,” he explained. 

Hank raised both eyebrows in disbelief. “Well, he came to you first, so I hope he knows that.” 

Connor’s lips pressed thin. “He told me he couldn’t go to any of his other friends.” 

“Huh…” Hank’s jaw shifted. “Why’s that?” 

“I guess he didn’t want to worry them.” Connor looked past his dad at the lone car rolling past their house and down the road. It was a neighborhood, but if someone knew the backroads they could easily get somewhere through here. 

“So the kid that you tutor sometimes, came to this house, beaten to hell and you  _ didn’t  _ call me?” Hank surmised.

Connor shrunk away from him. He should’ve, he knew that now. He was so  _ stupid.  _

“Hell, Connor, I don’t need you to beat yourself up about. I just need you to learn,” Hank said, in a gruff, but concerned tone. It usually precluded one of his dad’s more tender moments. “I don’t care what time it is, or what I’m doing, you have an emergency, you call me. Alright?” 

Connor nodded. 

“He just…” he tried to figure out why he wouldn’t. “When I first answered the door I couldn’t see his face. And then when I could, I just…” Connor searched for words, for what it was. “ _ Panicked,”  _ he forced out. “I just saw his face and I panicked.” He knew in an instant he _ needed  _ to fix Markus. It was the only thing on his mind.

“Don’t blame ya.”

“I should’ve called you,” Connor muttered. “I’m sorry.” 

“I know you are, Con,” Hank said sympathetically. He sighed loudly. He crossed his arms again, if anything Hank looked as uncomfortable as Connor felt. “So...is there any chance Markus told you how he ended up like that?” 

Connor looked down at Sumo, who yawned and blinked back at him. He was glad he was here. “He... all he told me is that he got into a fight. He wouldn’t tell me who.” 

He wasn’t going to speak on Markus’s behalf. That he decided. He wasn’t going to betray his trust either if that’s what telling the truth would’ve been. He did know what would happen to Markus after but he knew what  _ could  _ happen to Markus and Carl if he told the truth and he didn’t want that. He wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Markus could tell Hank in the morning if he wanted to, but Connor was going to do it. 

Hank looked at him almost dubiously and opened his mouth but only another sigh came out. “Connor...if he told you som--” 

“He didn’t. I  _ tried! _ ” Connor lied. Sumo turned his head in the direction of Connor’s raised voice. “He knows I’m a cop’s son so he didn’t tell me anything!” The pleading in his voice probably sounded to Hank like he was afraid he’d failed again but more than anything he just wanted the conversation to be over. He wanted to lay down. 

He wanted it to be Sunday morning and they’ve slept and Markus has slept and for everything to seem a little easier.

“Okay, okay,” Hank pushed off of the rail. “Okay, kid, c’mere.” 

A hug was way overdue and Hank knew that. Connor wasn’t one for touching especially when he reached his limit, but the boy wrapped his arms around him immediately. “I’m sorry,” Connor cried into his shirt.

“I know,” Hank smoothed down his son’s hair. “You did your best, kid, really.” He looked down at a pair of watery brown eyes, wide and scared. _ Jesus.  _ Connor was by all means a very capable teenager, but wasn’t used to this. 

He was barely used to having friends over on the weekends let alone this. 

“Okay?” Hank asked. 

Connor nodded, he unstuck himself slowly, but he wrapped his arms around himself insead. 

“We’re going to go back inside,” Hank said. Connor had clearly had enough of thinking for himself today. “And you’re going to go to bed, alright? You said Markus’s folks know he’s here?” 

Connor nodded. 

“I’m going to give them a call and let them know he’s safe and, if Markus is okay with it, I’ll take him back over there myself tomorrow morning,” he said. Hank was clearly skeptical of Connor’s story, but Connor was too tired to try to convince him more. 

Connor felt himself being steered inside by his dad, was vaguely aware of Sumo also making his way back inside. He made his way back to the bedroom. Colin was sitting with his gaming console resting his hands but he looked like he was barely awake himself. 

“He’s okay?” 

“He keeps mumbling in his sleep,” Colin said, his nose wrinkled. “But I think so.” 

Colin started to get up but Connor waved him off. Unceremoniously, Connor kicked off his shoes and shrugged off his jacket. He collapsed next to Markus. 

“I’ll just sleep with Markus,” Connor mumbled into his pillow. 

Colin responded, more than likely with something clever, but Connor didn’t hear it. He tucked his head gently into Markus’s side and fell asleep.

Tomorrow morning they would take Markus back home. Connor went along with Hank, but he stayed in the car as Holden helped Markus in the house. He didn’t want to get out, he couldn’t, as if he was rooted to his seat in his dad’s car.

He’d never been to Markus’s house but it was as big as everyone said it was and twice as impressive. Connor had never seen Markus’s dad either but he talked about him so fondly he could almost picture him. Except Carl’s face was grim and he looked tired, sleep-deprived...heartbroken. 

Markus didn’t tell Hank anything. 

There was no sign of Leo, Connor noted, and something about that made him feel a little better.

On Monday Markus wasn’t in school and Connor hadn’t expected him to be, it was a good thing that he wasn’t, honestly, but he missed him. 

That was new.

Three weeks later Markus was back at school. Barred from gymnastics for the time being, but back enough. 

Connor was heading toward the buses when he felt an arm rest across his back. He knew who it was immediately, “you didn’t think you were getting off that easy did you?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Connor hummed lightly. 

“I said I know what you like, Anderson, and I’m buying you pizza, my treat.” Markus was all smiles, all shine. It felt like everything was right with the world...for now.


End file.
